'The Renewal Years': How Japan Rethinks Menopause Through Nutrition And Care

In Japan, menopause is known as konenki, a term that translates to “the turning point of life energy.” It is not framed as decline or loss, but as a shift, like a period, where the body recalibrates, and a woman steps into a new phase of strength, perspective, and authority. This way of thinking offers a powerful contrast to how menopause is often discussed elsewhere, where symptoms are whispered about, dismissed, or endured in silence.

The idea of menopause as renewal does not deny discomfort or change. Instead, it acknowledges that transformation requires support, not suppression. Hormones fluctuate, metabolism changes, and the body’s needs evolve, but these shifts also create an opportunity to rebuild health with greater intention than ever before.

Japan Menopause Moment of Renewal

During perimenopause and menopause, estrogen levels begin to fluctuate and gradually decline. Estrogen influences nearly every system in the body, from energy production and muscle maintenance to skin elasticity, bone density, mood, and sleep. As it changes, the body becomes less efficient at absorbing and utilising nutrients, even when eating habits remain the same. 

This is why many women feel tired, gain weight, lose muscle, or notice skin and hair changes despite “doing everything right.” The renewal years are not about pushing harder; they are about supporting the body differently. Nutrition like this one becomes the foundation that allows this transition to happen with strength rather than struggle.

Nutrition as the Anchor of Renewal

In menopause, food alone often isn’t enough because women are eating poorly, but their bodies now require more targeted nutritional support. Protein becomes essential to preserve muscle, support metabolism, and maintain strength. Micronutrients like iron, B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D play a critical role in energy, bone health, nervous system stability, and recovery.

This is not about supplementation as a shortcut. It is about recognising that the body’s internal chemistry has changed. Supporting it with the right nutrients allows women to move, think, sleep, and feel better — laying the groundwork for long-term health well beyond menopause.

Renewal Is About Building, Not Restricting

Many women enter menopause thinking they need to eat less, do more cardio, or “control” their bodies harder. But renewal works in the opposite direction. Midlife doctors increasingly emphasise nourishment over restriction, strength over thinness, and consistency over intensity.

Movement paired with adequate nutrition helps rebuild muscle, improve insulin sensitivity, support bone density, and stabilise mood. Walking, strength training, mobility work, and restorative practices all work best when the body is properly fuelled. In this way, nutrition becomes an enabler, allowing the body to respond rather than resist.

A Cultural Shift We Can Learn From

The concept of konenki reminds us that menopause does not need to be framed as something to survive. It can be a period of recalibration — a chance to shed outdated expectations and build health that supports the next decades of life.

When menopause is treated as renewal, women are encouraged to invest in themselves without guilt. To ask better questions. To seek answers rooted in biology. And to give their bodies what they need to thrive, not just cope.
The renewal years are not about returning to who you were at 30. They are about becoming stronger, more supported, and more intentional than ever before. And nutrition, when understood and applied thoughtfully, is one of the most powerful tools to make that transition possible.